- With an annual consumption of 900,000 tonnes annually, the country is only able to produce 14 per cent of its wheat needs.
- The government has, however, put measures in place to shield local farmers from imports.
Image: ALICE WAITHERA
Wheat farmers in the country want the government to invest more in the production of the crop to reduce imports.
The farmers have said minimal support from the government has made it challenging for them to adequately farm the crop.
This is because of lack of sufficient certified seeds that compel farmers to source for them from other farmers, limiting their production capacity.
James Muhuhu, the general manager of Wangu Investments, a farmers’ investment group that has more than 13,000 shareholders, has said the poor production of wheat in the country is directly related to the poor support accorded by the government.
He accused the government of failing to give the crop enough attention by channelling more resources to fund more research.
“In Kenya, it is quite difficult to acquire adequate certified seeds for wheat and this is tied to the investment the government has made in wheat research,” he said.
Muhuhu said that unlike many other crops, wheat varieties that do well in one area may not thrive in another climatic region.
Muhuhu said the Kenya Agriculture and Livestock Research Organisation should be facilitated to come up with seeds that are customised to wheat growing areas to maximise production.
This, he said, is the only way that the country can engage in sustainable wheat farming that will put an end to importation of the commodity.
Last year, the country produced 250,000 tonnes of wheat grown in 140,000 hectares of land, a reduction from the 405,000 tonnes produced in 2020 from 132,000 hectares of land.
The country only produces about 14 percent of the local wheat consumption of 900,000 tonnes per year despite the fact that it is one of the most consumed foodstuff which necessitates imports.
The government has, however, put measures in place to shield local farmers from imports, including the requirement for millers to purchase all locally grown wheat before importing.
Imported wheat is also slapped with a 10 per cent duty to encourage local wheat production.
But Muhuhu said adequate research and subsidisation of inputs such as fertiliser can turn the trend and make the country self sufficient in wheat production.
He said subsidies given to small-scale farmers should also be extended to large-scale farmers to cushion them from the high cost of living.
“In some countries, pricing of fuel is different for farming entities to encourage food production,”the general manager.
Wangu Investment that was formed by the late politician Kenneth Matiba runs a 12,350-acre farm in Timau in Meru county where it grows wheat, canola and barley, and keeps thousands of cattle.
Its history dates back to the 1970s when Matiba convinced a white settler called Robert Wilson to sell him the land but the settler set a condition that the farm would not be sub-divided.
The settler also wanted the farm run professionally with its 22,600 sheep, 2,500 beef cattle and 700 pigs. Matiba rallied his villagers back in Gikandu, Kiharu constituency, to buys shares in the farm.
This year, Muhuhu said the firm made a turnover of Sh240 million and its profits went up by about 30 percent.
“The Russia-Ukraine war and drought has affected the company but our performance has been much improved. What has been key is cutting costs but barley and wheat prices went up," he said.
(edited by Amol Awuor)